Lawson for Congress

The federal government has never been a great parent, or a great teacher. Why do we think that federal oversight of our local schools is a good thing? We need local educational solutions for our educational challenges, without regulatory burdens and unfunded mandates from Washington like No Child Left Behind.

While the accountability provided by NCLB is beneficial, the benefits of accountability are not worth the cost. We must hold our schools accountable at the state and local level.

More importantly, NCLB is destroying the fabric of neighborhood schools through frequent redistricting. Children with greater educational needs are shuffled around the district so that the schools, on average, can meet their performance targets and avoid sanctions.

Subjecting children to a fifty-minute bus ride so that a school district can meet its performance targets is harmful to the students, environment, and local budget. We need great neighborhood schools that meet the unique needs of their students. Our parents and students at every socioeconomic level must be free to choose the best possible educational environment.

Home schooling is a fundamental right of parenting, and should not be infringed upon or regulated by the federal government. Local public schools should also be able to meet their students' needs without interference from the federal government.

As your Congressman, I will work to eliminate the federal Department of Education, so that the money used to support this bureaucracy can remain in North Carolina to help our children. Read more here.